The Life ofFaith. he did Peek it? How they 6rti got this Living, and then got that Prebendary, and thengot that Denary, and then got fuck a Bfhoprick,and then got a better(that is aricher) and thengot to be Arcbbifhops, and then to be Cardinals, &c. O happy pro, grels, if they might never die ! They blufh not openly before Angels and men to own this worldly ambi.tiouscourfe,; as their deign and trade of life : And the Devil is grown fo impudent, as if he were now the confefted Miller of the world, as ro let Divines themfelves at work,to write the hiaory offuck curled ambitious worldly lives, with open applaufe, and great com- mendations; yea to makeSaints of them, that have a cha- rader far worle than Chrifl gave ofhim in Luke r6. that want- eth a drop of water to cool his tongue : He openly now faith, All this will Igive thee ; and they as impudently boa(}, All this Ihave gotten : but they forget or know not how much they have loft. A Judar kifs is thought fafftcient to prove him a true Chriftian and Paflor of the Church, though it be but the fruit of what will you give me? Intlead of a (courge to whip out thefe buyers and fellers from Chrifts .Temple, their mer- chandi.ze is expofed without (hame, and their tigns fet forth, and the trade of getting preferments openly protefl'ed, and it is' enough to wipe off all the fharne, to put Tome venerable titles upon this Den ofthieves. But the Lord whom we wait for, will once more c -me andcleanfe hie Temple : But who may abide, theday of bis coming ? for he is like a refiners fire, and like fullers Pape, and will tbzoughly purge the Sons ofLevi, Mal. 3. t, 2,3,4' . If talking againit worldlinefs, would prove that the world is overcome, and that God isdearetl to the foul, then Preachers will be the happieti melt onearth. But it'seafier to commend God, than to love him above all ; and eafier to cry out againfá the world, than to have a heart that is truly weaned from and let upon a better world. Objct`k. ro. But all this belongetb only to them that are is profperity ; but I am poor, and therefore. it is nothing to me, Anfw. Many a one loveth profperity, that bath it not :. Ar.d filch are doubly finful, that will love a world which loveth not them : Even a world,ofpoverty, mifcry and dilirefs. Scmea thing you would have done, if you had had a full efiate, and honour, and flefhly delights to love. Nay, manypoor men think:. 439
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